Bridge cart

Abstract

A cart that is connectable between an agricultural implement and a tractor, for carrying bulk material for application simultaneously with operation of the agricultural implement. The cart includes a longitudinally and elevationally adjustable tongue assembly that enables selective adjustment of the longitudinal distances from the tractor to the cart and between the cart and implement. The cart is supported on fixed axle mounted wheels that may provide driving power to pump the bulk material.

We claim: 
     
       1. A cart mountable between a tractor and the tongue of an agricultural implement, comprising: a wheel supported frame;   a first elongated tongue member having a hitch member at one end for connection to the tractor, and a remaining end;   a second elongated tongue member having a hitch member at one end for connection to the implement tongue, and a remaining end;   bracket means on the frame mounting the tongue members with the hitch members extending longitudinally in opposite directions for individual longitudinal adjustment relative to the frame such that the longitudinal distance between the frame and one of the hitch members can be varied without altering the longitudinal distance between the frame and the remaining hitch member;   wherein the bracket means mounts the tongue members with the remaining ends thereof in an overlapping relationship and with one of the tongue members being situated elevationally above the other; and   wherein the tongue members can be interchanged elevationally to adjust the effective height from the ground surface to the hitch members.   
     
     
       2. The cart of claim 1 wherein the frame is rectangular and elongated in a transverse direction, and is supported by ground engaging wheels at opposed ends thereof; and wherein the bracket means mounts the tongue members between the frame and the ground surface.   
     
     
       3. The cart of claim 1 wherein the tongue members are rectangular in cross section and are received with their remaining ends in overlapping relation by the bracket means and wherein one of the hitch members is mounted along a single side surface of the associated tongue member to be turned to face upwardly or downwardly, thereby allowing elevational adjustment of the hitch member with respect to the other hitch member and to the ground surface. 
     
     
       4. The cart of claim 1 wherein the bracket means includes a plate fixed to the frame with longitudinally spaced mounting apertures formed therein, and wherein the tongue members include similar longitudinally spaced mounting apertures for alignment with the plate apertures; and mounting pin assemblies received through aligned plate and tongue mounting apertures to secure the tongue members to the bracket and frame. 
     
     
       5. The cart of claim 1 wherein bracket means is situated on the frame to mount the tongue members elevationally between the frame and ground surface and to enable connection to the hitch member of the second member with the tongue of the implement directly below the frame. 
     
     
       6. The cart of claim 1 wherein the frame is transversely elongated and includes wheel axles at outward frame ends, mounting ground engaging wheels for free rotational movement thereon about a fixed rotational axis. 
     
     
       7. A cart mountable between a tractor and the tongue of an agricultural implement, comprising: an elongated frame extending transversely in relation to the path of travel of the tractor, to opposed ends;   wherein the frame width dimension between the opposed ends is greater than the width of the tractor to minimize height requirements of any load to be carried on the frame and maximize trailing characteristics of the cart;   axles mounted on the frame at the ends thereof along a wheel axis;   ground supporting wheels mounted to the axles for free rotation about the wheel axis;   an adjustable tongue assembly on the frame between the wheels and extending longitudinally from a hitch member at one end adapted for connection to the tractor and to another hitch member at an opposite end for connection to the implement.   
     
     
       8. The cart of claim 7 further comprising a bulk material storage container on the frame and a pump mounted to the frame and driven by one of the ground engaging wheels, adapted to pump material from the container. 
     
     
       9. The cart of claim 7 wherein the tongue assembly is bridged overhead by the frame such that there is maximum turning clearance between the ground supporting wheels and the tongue of an implement attached to the tongue assembly. 
     
     
       10. The cart of claim 7 wherein the tongue assembly is adjustable longitudinally to selectively position the point of connection between the tongue assembly and the tongue of the implement in relation to the frame. 
     
     
       11. The cart of claim 7 wherein the tongue assembly is elevationally adjustable to accommodate tractors and implements having hitch members at different elevations. 
     
     
       12. The cart of claim 7 wherein the adjustable tongue assembly includes: a first elongated tongue member having a hitch member at one end adapted to be connected to the tractor and a remaining end;   a second elongated tongue member having a hitch member at one end adapted to be connected to the implement tongue and a remaining end; and   bracket means on the frame mounting the tongue members with the hitch members extending longitudinally in opposite directions for individual longitudinal adjustment relative to the frame such that the longitudinal distance between the frame and one of the hitch members can be varied without altering the longitudinal distance between the frame and the remaining hitch member.   
     
     
       13. A cart for interconnecting a tractor and a farm implement, comprising: a frame having elongated front and rearward side members connected by end members;   ground supporting wheels on the frame at the end members thereof for free rotation about a rotational axis;   a first elongated tongue member on the frame extending forwardly to an end for connection to the tractor; and   a second tongue member on the frame, extending rearwardly to an end under the frame for connection to the farm implement;   wherein the end of the second tongue member is adjustably positionable under the frame between the front and rearward side members such that the overall length of the first and second tongue members is minimized to reduce the effective distance between the tractor and farm implement with the cart interposed therebetween.